8 Elegant Zinfandels

There’s plenty of oak here with a nose full of chocolate, tobacco, vanilla and crushed spices along with a hint of Iris. In the mouth, this is full-bodied but very well balanced. The assertive oak of the nose is fairly well integrated here with rugged and slightly lean black cherry fruit. There’s good acidity and ripe tannins but everything is rather well balanced, with the fruit turning redder on the back end and redder still on the raspberry-toned finish. Very long and finely balanced, showing a little bit of iron-tinged beef and soil on the finale. Fairly powerful but elegant and quite fresh, this is lovely. 93pts